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“Hmm. So I suppose I shouldn’t be expecting a dowry of goats and fine linens in exchange, then?” I looked at him and my mouth fell open, then he cracked a smile.
“Hey,” I said, throwing a piece of bread at him, and he laughed. “How many goats do you think I’d be worth, Clara?”
“Maybe ten? You’re pretty hot. Good cook. You have a booty, which means you have good birthin’ hips, right?”
“Ten? That’s it? What an insult. I’m worth ten little lawnmowers that chew on hair and anything else they can get their teeth on.”
“Personally, I think we should get the dowry for taking on a husband. Unless they come already trained.” Her snark was on point today.
A knock on the door interrupted us, and a porter came in. “Excuse me, Your Majesty. Your afternoon appointment has arrived.”
Caius nodded, then picked up the documents he’d been working on. He got up from the table, coming to stand next to me. I craned my neck back, expecting a goodbye peck and nothing more. Leaning down, he whispered, “I’m trained where it counts.” Then his lips brushed mine in a tease before he kissed me deeply, stealing my breath away. My cheeks flushed and I clenched my thighs together. “I’ll see you tonight.” His final words made my skin tingle long after he left.
“I would say get a room, but I’m afraid you’d just get up and leave,” Clara said, looping yarn around her finger. She stopped, tilting her head, and looking at the table. “Or maybe just kick me out and go for it here. But if you do, I’m taking the food with me. Be a shame to waste good cheese.”
I snorted. “I won’t lie. I’m torn. A short break would be good. My lady parts are sore as hell. But the other part of me can’t stop craving him.”
My cousin lifted a shoulder and hummed. “Maybe you shouldn't go yet. Get it out of your system. You’re in that honeymoon period of the relationship where everything just feels phenomenal.”
I sighed, leaning back in my chair, placing my arm on the rests on either side. “I can’t. Two weeks isn’t long, but it’s a long time when you’re avoiding having a conversation with someone. Dad doesn't even know that I'm mated, unless Nog told him, but I'm pretty sure he didn't because I threatened him with a shock collar if he even breathed a word to anyone.”
Clara huffed a small laugh. “Finally found a way to keep his mouth shut.”
“I figured out how to make him stop yapping too.”
“Really?”
“Shake a cup full of coins. He really hates that. You just see a ball of fluff, bolting into another room. To be fair, he peed on my shoes afterward, so it’s not a win-win.”
Clara groaned. “Figures. He needs to learn how to shift on his own without being in Tartarus.”
“Hey, why don't you come with me tomorrow? It would be good for you to see your mom. Spend some time with Jo.”
Something sad passed over her features. “I kind of like it here. I’m not sure I want to go back.”
“Really?” My face contorted into a grimace. “Because you don't look like it right now. You look like you're about to cry.”
“Allergies, probably. Can’t escape them in The Crossroads, can’t escape them here. I think it’s the yellow biting flowers in the atriums.” She rubbed her nose. “I think you should wait a little bit longer. I'm not really sure if Tío is ready to hear that you're mated.”
“It's par for the course. Were supernaturals. We find mates.”
Clara barked a laugh. “That doesn't mean that an alpha is gonna accept his daughter running off with somebody and getting married, to Caius of all people.”
“It'll be hard for him. Honestly, I think it's going to be harder for Sin. Sometimes I feel like she's more protective than Dad.”
“Why don't you just have them come visit here?”
“Are you crazy? They’d try to bring the whole family. I couldn't do that to anyone in the castle. Not Caius. Not the staff. Pol would probably lose his mind. It would be absolute chaos, and who knows what kind of drama would get started. No, it's best if I go home.”
“You won't be gone long, will you?
“No, not long. Couple of days at most. When I cross over, I won’t be able to feel the bond with Caius. I don’t know how to describe it, but now that I know what it feels like, the idea of losing it, even for a temporary period of time, feels awful. Like part of me won’t be able to breath, or I’ll be stretched too thin or something.” My cousin frowned. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“No reason.” She schooled her features. “I was just wondering.”
“Clara, are you okay? I know it was really scary with what happened, and I know you said you were fine, but I'm worried about you.”
“I really am fine. I have a lot of dreams about it still and it freaks me out. The way that I tried to speak but it was like this invisible pressure on my throat and in my chest preventing the words from coming out. I couldn't ask for help. I couldn’t even tell you something was wrong.” She stared at me her eyes wide. “Does that make sense?”
